Flush mount panel lock

ABSTRACT

A lock assembly for the door of a cabinet or other enclosure where a lock housing is mounted in the door panel having an opening exposing an actuating face on the housing that is flush with the exterior surface of the door panel. The actuating face includes a pivoted pull and a rotatable lock plug actuating a reciprocable bolt to prevent pivotal movement of the pull. The pull has a depending arm engaging an actuating surface of a pivotally mounted latch bolt spring-biased to latching position. The latch bolt has a radially developed bevel on the strike engaging camming surface normally projecting through a side of the lock housing.

United States Patent 472,430 4/1892 Clark Inventor John L. 0n'

Rockford, III. Appl. No. 867,027 Filed Oct. 16, 1969 Patented June 15, 1971 Assignee Keystone Consolidated Industries, Inc.

Peoria, Ill.

FLUSH MOUNT PANEL LOCK 14 Claims, 23 Drawing Figs.

u s. ci 'l0/s1, 70/208, 292/226 Int. Cl E05b 5/00, E05b 65/02, E05c 3/22 Field of Search 70/81, 84, |46, 208, 379.1; 292/226, DIG. 31, 224, DIG. 7l

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Primary Examiner- Stephen J. Novosad Assistant Examiner-Albert G. Craig, Jr. Attorney-Wilson and Geppert ABSTRACT: A lock assembly for the door of a cabinet or other enclosure where a lock housing is mounted in the door panel having an opening exposing an actuating face on the housing that is flush with the exterior surface of the door panel. The actuating face includes a pivoted pull and a rotatable lock plug actuating a reciprocable bolt to prevent pivotal movement of the pull. The pull has a depending arm engaging an actuating surface of a pivotally mounted latch bolt springbiased to latching position. The latch bolt has a radially developed bevel on the strike engaging camming surface normally projecting through a side of the lock housing.

PATENEU Juul 5 mn SHEET 3 UF 3 FLUSH MOUNT PANEL LOCK The present invention relates to a lock assembly for a door panel of a cabinet or other enclosure, and more particularly to a panel lock that is mounted with the actuating face thereof flush with the exterior surface of the door panel.

Among the objects of the present invention is the provision of a panel lock assembly which is easily and quickly mounted in an opening in a door panel for a cabinet or enclosure, such as for metal doors used on electrical panel boxes, with the face of the lock assembly being flush with the face of the door panel. The clock assembly includes a housing for a latch bolt having an actuating face exposed in the opening in the door and provided with a pivotally mounted actuating pull and the exposed face of a key-actuated locking plug which extends into the lock housing. The locking plug actuales a reciprocable lock bolt utilized to prevent operation of the actuating pull.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a panel lock assembly having a pivotally mounted latch bolt positioned within the lock housing and adapted to pivot or rotate in a plane extending across the housing parallel the the actuating face. A compression spring in the housing has one end engaging a suitable surface on the latch bolt and the opposite and engaging in a pocket in the housing. The latch bolt is provided with a radially developed beveled camming surface on a latching projection normally projecting through a side of the housing to engage a suitable strike.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a panel lock assembly which is easily adapted for either right hand or left-hand operation. The only element in the assembly requiring alteration is the housing which has an opening in one of the two opposite sides to receive the latching projection of the latch bolt and a pair of aligned openings receiving the offset pivot pin for the pull. Otherwise, the pull and the latch bolt are reversed when changing from right-hand to left-hand operation or vice versa.

Further objects are to provide a construction of maximum simplicity, efficiency, economy and ease of assembly and operation, and such further objects, advantages and capabilities as will later more fully appear and are inherently possessed thereby.

In the drawings:

FIG. l is a perspective view of the panel lock assembly as mounted in a door panel for an enclosure.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the lock assembly for right-hand operation.

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the lock assembly.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the lock assembly secured in a door for an enclosure.

FIG. 5 is an end elevational view of the lock assembly mounted in the door.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged partial front elevational view taken with the pull omitted and showing the latch bolt in normal latching position.

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 but showing the latch bolt retracted.

FIG. 8 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of F IG. 3.

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of the pull.

FIG. 10 is a rear elevational view of the pull.

FIG. 11 is an end elevational view of the pull.

FIG. l2 is a front elevational view of the latch bolt.

FIG. 13 is a bottom plan view ofthe latch bolt.

FIG. 14 is a side elevational view of the latch bolt showing the radially beveled cammin g surface.

FIG. 15 is a side elevational view ofthe latch bolt showing the recess and projection adapted to receive a compression spring.

FIG. 16 is a side elevational view of the lock plug.

FIG. 17 is a rear elevational view of the lock plug.

FIG. 18 is a front elevational view of the lock bolt.

FIG. 19 is a side elevational view ofthe lock bolt.

FIG. 20 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on the line 20-20 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 2l is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the lock assembly taken on the line 21-21 of FIG. l.

FIG. 22 is a front elevational view of the lock assembly for left-hand operation.

FIG. 23 is a side elevational view of the lock assembly of FIG. 22 with the pull actuated.

Referring more particularly to the disclosure in the drawings wherein is shown an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, FIGS. 4 and 5 disclose a hinged door panel 10 for an enclosure 1l, such as an electrical panel box, where the door has a rectangular opening l2 adjacent the free edge 13 thereof for a panel lock assembly 14. The lock assembly 14 includes a hollow housing l5 having a pair of integral mounting table 16,16; a tab 16 projecting from each end 17 of the housing 15 and having an opening 18 to receive a bolt or screw 19 projecting therethrough to threadingly engage a threaded nut or socket 2l integral with the door l0. Other fastening means, such as a threaded stud integral with the door cooperating with threaded nuts, obviously could be utilized.

The housing l5 has an upper generally rectangular recess 22 therein and a lower generally circular opening 23 therethrough forming a lock cylinder to be later described. As shown for a right-hand application, the housing 15 has an opening 24 in one side-wall 25 and a pocket 26 formed in the opposite sidewall 27 generally horizontally aligned with the opening 24. A pair of openings 28 are formed in the rear housing wall, and a pair of aligned openings 29 are formed in the sidewalls 25,27 adjacent the upper edges and located below the opening 24. Also, a pair of parallel spaced openings 3l are located in the lower portion of the housing for a purpose to be later described.

A pull 32 has a generally rectangular configuration and is of a size to fill the opening of the upper recess 22. The pull 32 is in the form of a generally flat plate having depending edges 33 and a depending offset projection 34 adjacent one edge. The projection 34 has a reaction surface 35 at right angles to the plate and a curved surface 36. The depending edge 32 at one end 56 has a recess 37 at one corner (FIG. 10) and the diagonally opposite corner has a depending portion 38 with a slot 39 formed therein and opening into the end of the pull. A pair of bearings 41,41 are formed integral on the undersurface 42 of the pull and have aligned openings 43 to receive a pivot pin 44; the pivot pin also passing through the openings 29,29 in the housing to pivotally mount the pull 32 therein. The one bearing 41 is adjacent the projection 34., and the bearings are offset from the minor axis of the pull 32.

A latch bolt 45 is positioned within the recess 22 to be actuated by the pull 32, and has an irregularly shaped body with a generally cylindrical end 46 provided with a cylindrical projection or hub 47 conformably received in one of the two openings 28 in the housing rear wall to provide a pivotal mounting for the bolt 45. At the opposite end the bolt has a latching projection 48 adapted to project through the opening 24 in the sidewall 25 and provided with a radially curved camming surface 49 and a flat latching surface 5l. The camming surface is curved in both the horizontal and vertical planes as is clearly shown in FIGS. 2, 13 and 14. Behind the projection 48 is a recess 52 having a rounded projection 53 to receive one end of a compression spring 54 urging the latch bolt to latching position (see FIG. 6). The opposite end of the spring is received in the pocket 26 in the housing.

The latch bolt 45 is also provided with a reaction surface 55 adjacent the hub 47 cooperating with the reaction surface 35 on the projection 34. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the latch bolt 45 is positioned with the hub 47 inserted in the lower opening 28, and the spring 54 urges the bolt 45 to rotate in a counterclockwise direction (as seen in FIG. 6) to project the latching projection through the opening 24 in the housing. The pull 32 is positioned with the offset axis of the pivot pin 44 below the latch bolt 45 and the reaction surface 35 is adjacent to the reaction surface 55 of the latch bolt. To :retract the latch bolt 45, the lower end S6 of the pull 32 is depressed to pivot the pull and cause the upper end 57 of the pull to project at the upper end of the housing 15 so that a finger of the user can engage the upperend 57 and continue pivotal movement of the pull.

The projection 34 on the pull 32 is rotated causing the reaction surface 35 to engage the reaction surface 55 of the latch bolt 45 and rotate the latch bolt about the axis of the hub 47 in a clockwise direction against the force of and compressing the spring 54 to retract the latching surface 5l from the strike 58. With the latch bolt retracted, the finger gripping the upper end 57 of the pull 32 can then pull the door panel l0 open. Release of the pull 32 allows the spring 54 to rotate the latch bolt and return it to the normal advanced position, and cooperation between the reaction surfaces 35 and 55 returns the pull to its flush position. Upon closing the door panel 10, the camming surface 49 of the bolt will engage the edge of the strike 58 and cam the latch bolt 4S into the housing l5 until the latch surface l can snap behind the strike surface latching the door panel in its closed position. The retraction of the latch bolt is effected in a uniform manner due to the cooperation between the striking surface and the radially developed bevel 49.

To prevent actuation of the pull 32 and the latch bolt 45, a key-actuated lock 59 is provided in the lower opening 23 which is generally cylindrical with a counterbored recess 61 and a pair of opposed channels 62,62 therethrough cooperating with conventional plate tumblers ofa locking plug 66v The opening is provided with a second counterbore 63 and one side of the counterbore 63 provides a slot or opening 64 to provide for actuation of a reciprocable lock bolt 73 received within a channel 65 positioned along side of the opening 23 and opening into the recess 22. The locking plug 66 includes a cylindrical body having a face flange 67 and a keyway 68 extending therethrough to receive a suitable key 79.

Underneath the flange 67, the plug is provided with a hub 69 having an arc of 180 and an undercut 71 of the opposite 180 to provide a pair of actuating shoulders 72,72 spaced 180 apart to cooperate with the lock bolt 73. The channel 65 for the lock bolt not only opens into the recess 22 through the opening 70 and the end of the housing 15 at the opposite ends, but also opens into the opening 23 as shown at 64.

The lock bolt 73 is a generally rectangular platelike member having a chamfered locking end 74 adapted to extend into the recess 22 through the opening 70 to cooperate with the pull 32, an edge having an arcuate cutout 75 to receive the shoulder 69 on the lock plug 66, and a projection or tab 76 within the cutout 75 to cooperate with either one of the shoulders 72,72 on the lock plug 66. The opposite edge of the lock bolt 73 is provided with a pair ofspaced downwardly bent tabs 77,77 cooperating with a pair of spaced parallel pins 78,78 received in the spaced openings 31,31 to limit the throw ofthe lock bolt.

To assemble, the lock plug 66 is inserted in the opening 23 with the undercut 71 facing the channel 65. Then the lock bolt 73 is inserted into the channel 65 with the tab 76 received in the undercut 7l, the plug is rotated to advance the bolt to locked position with the end 74 extending through the opening 70, and the spaced pins 78,78 are inserted into the openings 31,31 and staked at each end. The tab 76 remains in the undercut 71 at all times to retain the lock plug 66 in the opening 23 in the housing 15. The latch bolt 45 is properly positioned within the recess 22 with the spring 54, and thc pull 32 is located with theoffset axis below the latching projection 48 and horizontally aligned with the hub 47 of the latch bolt. The pivot pin 44 is inserted through the openings 29,29 in the housing and the bearings 41,41 in the pull and the ends of the pin are staked to prevent removal. As previously stated to retract the latch bolt 45, the lower end 56 of the pull is depressed with the ,upper end 57 moving outward to be hooked by a linger ofthe operator. l

With the lock bolt 73 in retracted position, to lock thc pull 32 against pivotal movement, a proper key 79 is inserted in the keyway 68 to retract the plate tumblers from the channels 62,62 and the plug 66 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction as seen in FIG. 3 through approximately 90 until one shoulder 72 engages the tab 76 on the lock bolt 73. Further rotation causes the bolt to advance and project the end 74 through the opening 70 into the recess 22 and into the recess 37 on the underside of the pull 32 to prevent depression of the lower end 56; movement of the bolt being limited by the upper pin 78 engaging the upper bent tab 77 on the bolt. The undercut 7l on the plug 66 provides up to 180 lost motion so that once the bolt is advanced, the plug 66 can be returned to its normal position without affecting the bolt 45 and the key removed. To unlock the assembly, the plug 66 is rotated in a clockwise direction so that the other shoulder 72 engages the tab 76 to retract the bolt 73 as limited by engagement of the lower tab 77 with the lower pin 78.

To convert the lock assembly from a right-hand to a lefthand assembly, only the position of the opening 24 in the sidewall and the openings 29,29 are altered, as the housing 15 has both openings 28 and both spring pockets 26 initially formed in the housing. As seen in FIGS. 22 and 23, for a lefthand assembly 14, the opening 24 is located in the sidewall 27 while the spring pocket 26 in the sidewall 25 is utilized. The openings 29,29 are positioned above the opening 24 as seen in FIG. 22 and are horizontally aligned with the upper opening 28 receiving the hub 47 of the latch bolt 45. Thus, the latch bolt 45 is shifted 180 and the pull 32 is turned end for end, otherwise the assembly is identical to that shown in FIG. 1.

To actuate the left-hand assembly, the upper end 80 of the pull 32 is depressed with the lower end 81 of the pull swinging out, as seen in FIG. 23 to be hooked by the operators thumb to complete retraction of the latch bolt 45 and swing open the door panel l0. To lock the pull 32, the lock bolt 73 is projected into the recess 22 with the bolt end 74 inserted into the slot 39 in the depending portion 38 of the now lower corner of the pull; the engagement of the locking end 74 in the slot 39 preventing any pivotal movement ofthe pull 32.

Having thus disclosed my invention I claim:

l. A flush mount lock assembly for a door or the like, comprising an elongated housing having a recess therein open to the front face thereof, a pivotally mounted latch bolt located substantially wholly within and having a latching projection, said housing having a sidewall with an opening therein to allow advancement of the latching projection therethrough, means biasing said latch bolt to pivot and advance the latching projection through the sidewall opening in the housing, a pull in and normally covering the recess in the housing, a pivot pin extending transversely to the pivot axis of the latch bolt and across said housing and through said pull to pivotally mount the pull about a transverse axis, a depending projection on said pull having a reaction surface, and a reaction surface on the latch bolt abutting the reaction surface on the pull so that pivotal movement of said pull will cause pivotal movement of said latch bolt to retract said latching projection.

2. A flush mount lock assembly as set forth in claim 1,'n which said latching projection has a flat latching surface and a radially developed camming surface adapted to cooperate with a striking surface on an enclosure for the door.

3. A flush mount lock assembly as set forth in claim l, including a hub formed on the rear surface of said latch bolt to provide a pivotal axis therefor, said housing having an opening in a rear wall to conformably receive said hub.

4. A flush mount lock assembly as set forth in claim 3, in which said reaction surface on said latch bolt is closely adjacent said hub and generally parallel to the direction of movement of said latching projection.

5. A flush mount lock assembly as set forth in claim 3, in which said pivot pin is generally horizontally aligned with said hub on the latch bolt.

6. A flush mount lock assembly as set forth in claim l, in which said biasing means is a compression spring, a pocket in the sidewall of the housing, generally horizontally aligned with said opening in the opposite sidewall for the latching projection, receiving one end of said spring, and a spring pocket on the latch bolt opposite the latching projection to receive the opposite end of the spring.

7. A flush mount lock assembly as set forth in claim l, in which said housing has an opening therethrough below said recess, a lock plug conformably received in said opening, and a lock bolt cooperating with said plug.

8. A flush mount lock assembly as set forth in claim 7, in which said housing has a channel intersecting said opening for the lock plug and said recess, said lock bolt, being reciprocably mounted in said channel.

9. A flush mount lock assembly as set forth in claim 8, in which said lock plug includes a face flange, a semicircular hub under said flange, said plug having a semicircular undercut under said flange and cooperating with said semicircular hub to form a pair of opposed shoulders, and a tab extending from one edge of said lock bolt into the undercut on said plug and adapted to cooperate with said shoulders to reciprocate the lock bolt upon rotation of said plug.

l0. A flush mount lock assembly as set forth in claim 9, in which said lock bolt has an arcuate recess on one edge with said tab projecting from said recess adapted to receive said semicircular hub therein,

1l. A flush mount lock assembly as set forth in claim 8, in which said lock bolt has a pair of spaced downwardly bent stops on an edge thereof, and a pair of spaced transversely extending parallel pins in the housing above and below said lock plug and cooperating with said stops on the lock bolt to limit reciprocation thereof.

l2. A flush mount lock assembly as set forth in claim 8, in which said pull has a recess in one corner adapted to receive an end of said lock bolt to prevent depression of the end of the pull having the last mentioned recess.

13. A flush mount lock assembly as set forth in claim 8, including a depending portion on one corner of said pull having a slot therein adapted to receive an lend of said lock bolt to prevent pivotal movement of said pull.

14. A flush mount lock assembly as set forth in claim 9, in which said tab extending into the recess in the lock plug acts to retain the plug in the housing throughout the operation of the lock.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Patent NO 3,584,483 Dated June 15, 1971 Inventods) John L. Orr

It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column l, line l2, "clock" should read lock line 22, "the", second occurrence, should read to line 25, "and" should read end Column Z, line 16, "table" should read tabs Column 4, line 42, after "within" insert the recess in the housing when in retracted position Signed and sealed this 7th day of December 197i.

(SEAL) Attest:

ROBERT GOTTSCHALK EDWARD M, FLETCHERJR.

Acting Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer USCOMM-DC 50376-5359 U S GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE |969 0-36533-1 

1. A flush mount lock assembly for a door or the like, comprising an elongated housing having a recess therein open to the front face thereof, a pivotally mounted latch bolt located substantially wholly within and having a latching projection, said housing having a sidewall with an opening therein to allow advancement of the latching projection therethrough, means biasing said latch bolt to pivot and advance the latching projection through the sidewall opening in the housing, a pull in and normally covering the recess in the housing, a pivot pin extending transversely to the pivot axis of the latch bolt and across said housing and through said pull to pivotally mount the pull about a transverse axis, a depending projection on said pull having a reaction surface, and a reaction surface on the latch bolt abutting the reaction surface on the pull so that pivotal movement of said pull will cause pivotal movement of said latch bolt to retract said latching projection.
 2. A flush mount lock assembly as set forth in claim 1, in which said latching projection has a flat latching surface and a radially developed camming surface adapted to cooperate with a striking surface on an enclosure for the door.
 3. A flush mount lock assembly as set forth in claim 1, including a hub formed on the rear surface of said latch bolt to provide a pivotal axis therefor, said housing having an opening in a rear wall to conformably receive said hub.
 4. A flush mount lock assembly as set forth in claim 3, in which said reaction surface on said latch bolt is closely adjacent said hub and generally parallel to the direction of movement of said latching projection.
 5. A flush mount lock assembly as set forth in claim 3, in which said pivot pin is generally horizontally aligned with said hub on the latch bolt.
 6. A flush mount lock assembly as set forth in claim 1, in which said biasing means is a compression spring, a pocket in the sidewall of the housing, generally horizontally aligned with said opening in the opposite sidewall for the latching projection, receiving one end of said spring, and a spring pocket on the latch bolt opposite the latching projection to receive the opposite end of the spring.
 7. A flush mount lock assembly as set forth in claim 1, in which said housing has an opening therethrough below said recess, a lock plug conformably received in said opening, and a lock bolt cooperating with said plug.
 8. A flush mount lock assembly as set forth in claim 7, in which said housing has a channel intersecting said opening for the lock plug and said recess, said lock bolt, being reciprocably mounted in said channel.
 9. A flush mount lock assembly as set forth in claim 8, in which said lock plug includes a face flange, a semicircular hub under said flange, said plug having a semicircular undercut under said flange and cooperating with said semicircular hub to form a pair of opposed shoulders, and a tab extending from one edge of said lock bolt into the undercut on said plug and adapted to cooperate with said shoulders to reciprocate the lock bolt upon rotation of said plug.
 10. A flush mount lock assembly as set forth in claim 9, in which said lock bolt has an arcuate recess on one edge with said tab projecting from said recess adapted to receive said semicircular hub therein.
 11. A flush mount lock assembly as set forth in claim 8, in which said lock bolt has a pair of spaced downwardly bent stops on an edge thereof, and a pair of spaced transversely extending parallel pins in the housing above and below said lock plug and cooperating with said stops on the lock bolt to limit reciprocation thereof.
 12. A flush mount lock assembly as set forth in claim 8, in which said pull has a recess in one corner adapted to receive an end of said lock bolt to prevent depression of the end of the pull having the last mentioned recess.
 13. A flush mount lock assembly as set forth in claim 8, including a depending portion on one corner of said pull having a slot therein adapted to receive an end of said lock bolt to prevent pivotal movement of said pull.
 14. A flush mount lock assembly as set forth in claim 9, in which said tab extending into the recess in the lock plug acts to retain the plug in the housing throughout the operation of the lock. 